Council receives update on tree maintenance project

The project, which carried a $150,000 amount in the 2018 budget, saw a tender for trimming 517 trees in the core area of town put out earlier this year. A report from manager of roads and fleet Eric Chamberlain stated that due to trimming efforts over the past two years, all trees that required trimming were able to be trimmed this year.

A number of trees will also have to be removed, the report stated. Chamberlain co-authored the report with arborist Bill Roesel.

Town council recently received an update on its tree inventory. As part of the update, town council learned that a number of trees on the west side of Seymour St. will be taken down later this fall.

“A tender was put out for the removal of approximately 46 trees with a diameter of 30 cm or more. This contract will complete the removal of trees listed as Priority 2 removals as indicated in the 2017 Tree Inventory. In addition to the 46 trees under this contract, the Town will be removing 31 trees with a diameter of 30 cm or less. These trees will be removed in late fall and early winter, the report stated. “The area most impacted by this contract is on Seymour Street. There will be nine trees removed on the west of Seymour St. These trees were severely impacted by the powerlines installed a number of years ago. The heavy pruning has caused extensive decay in the remaining limbs. These limbs will fail in the not too distant future and potentially cause injury and/or property damage. Appropriate tree species will be planted as replacements.”

Chamberlain told town council the Seymour St. trees that will come down are mainly on the west side of the road from Simcoe St. to behind the Amherstburg Municipal Building. He said they have suffered from “sun scalding” due to previous trimmings and that the trees are starting to rot.

The report also stated that the town anticipates planting 100 trees this fall.

“The tree plantings will replace the Priority 2 trees removals and the trees removed on Crown Ridge as part of the 2018 Interlocking Brick Removal Program. The tree plantings will be of various species in order to help diversify the future tree population,” the report stated.

One of the trees along the west side of Seymour St. is marked with an “X” as it will soon be cut down.

The report from Chamberlain and Roesel also pointed out that: “In 2017, the Town removed the trees that were identified as Priority 1 trees. These trees posed an immediate risk to the health and safety of the public as well as smaller trees that were dead. Trees were planted in the fall of 2017 to replace the trees that were removed. Furthermore, administration provided guidance to the developer of Kingsbridge for tree plantings. The developer planted 53 trees on Brown Crescent, Welsh Avenue and Lavers Crescent.”

Councillor Diane Pouget passed along thanks to Chamberlain for the way the removal of dead trees in Ranta Park were removed. She said there were dead trees leaning up against live trees and that created potential issues at the park. Pouget said the town acted on the matter the next day after it was reported and that attentiveness was appreciated.